The soft goat cheese in this spread is a perfect partner for the mild fava beans and the sharp crispness of the radishes.
Text And Photos By Sarah Kenney
After being so thrilled to find all of those beautiful fava beans at Canino’s Mexican Market here in Houston, Texas, I knew I was set to make this delicious looking spread I had seen recently. We had a busy weekend with many activities beginning to wind down for the school year. I knew there might be some missed meals here and there so I wanted to make something healthy for at home.
The ingredients that went into this dip were simple but so aromatic. It was a wonderful dish to pull together because it is so visually appealing. The lemon zest and juice with the fresh snippets of tarragon made my nose buds tingle. 
The soft goat cheese is a perfect partner for the mild fava beans and the sharp crispness of the radishes. I just cannot believe I haven’t eaten radishes until now. It has always been one of those childhood activities to sneer at the little red orbs. They are so good…well…especially spread with this dip.
Fava beans are the prettiest color green. They are fun to shell because the pod is so big that they really “snap” quite satisfactorily! We had enough of this treat that during the week we spread it on some crispy fig crackers for a healthy snack.
As the school year draws to a close, weekend events help us settle into our new home of Texas. We appreciate the diversity of cultures all coming together in this vast city. We always feel like we’ve just tipped the edge of discoveries waiting for us here.
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Fava Bean And Goat Cheese Spread
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
This creamy spread combines tangy goat cheese with mild fava beans, enhanced by fresh tarragon and lemon, perfect for pairing with crisp radishes and fig crackers.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) fava beans, shelled
- 1/2 cup soft goat cheese (4 oz)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Radishes, sliced, for serving
- Fig crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil.
- Add the fava beans and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Drain the beans and transfer them to the ice-water bath to cool. Once cooled, drain and peel the beans.
- In a food processor, pulse the peeled fava beans until roughly chopped.
- Add the goat cheese, olive oil, tarragon, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the processor. Season with salt and pepper.
- Process the mixture until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the spread to a serving bowl. Serve with sliced radishes and fig crackers.
Notes
- Fava beans are fun to shell and have a satisfying snap.
- This spread pairs well with radishes and fig crackers for a healthy snack.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can substitute fresh mint for tarragon if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2 grams
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 grams
- Carbohydrates: 15 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do fresh fava beans need to be peeled twice?
Fava beans have two layers: the outer pod (removed when shelling) and a tough inner skin around each bean. The recipe calls for boiling the shelled beans for 1–2 minutes, then transferring to an ice-water bath and peeling off that inner skin before processing. The article notes that shelling is satisfying because the pods are large and snap crisply, but the second peel is essential for a smooth, creamy spread.
Can I substitute a different herb for tarragon?
Yes — the notes say you can substitute fresh mint for tarragon. The recipe uses 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh tarragon; mint will give a cooler, brighter flavor while still complementing the fava beans and goat cheese.
What do you serve this spread with?
The recipe lists sliced radishes and fig crackers as the serving companions, and the article mentions spreading it on crispy fig crackers as a healthy snack during the week. The article also notes that radishes provide a sharp crispness that contrasts the mild, creamy spread.
This looks like an interesting and delicious spread – bookmarking to try! Thanks for posting and the crackers sound yummy too!
I love fava beans, this is a good flavour mix!
O this looks awesome! Gonna try this as soon as I can get some favas…